Tag Archives: Invisalign

Invisible Braces (Invisalign®)

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Invisalign Aligner

Invisalign Aligner

Invisible braces (such as Invisalign®) are a fantastic way to straighten one’s teeth. There is no “metal mouth” look. People can’t even tell that you are having orthodontics done. You can take the aligner out to eat so there are no restrictions of sticky or hard foods. You can also take them out to brush and floss your teeth. Oral hygiene is so much easier to do without all of the nooks and crannies to negotiate around with the brush. No more smiling with a big wad of lettuce hanging from your teeth. The process is started by making precise molds of the person’s teeth. A lab makes a 3-D computer image of the mold and a technician manipulates the teeth in tiny increments until the final result is achieved. A clear, thin, plastic aligner is contructed for every incremental step. As each aligner is worn, the teeth are slowly moved to their intended positions.

Invisible braces are not for everyone. They have a difficult time raising teeth out of the sockets, a movement called extrusion. They will also not be able to treat a tooth that is severly rotated. Teens can be treated with this method, however, all of the 2nd molars (12 year old molars) have to be fully erupted. With all of that being said, for patients who are candidates fo invisible braces, it can be an extremely satisfying experience.

Alternatives for Porcelain Veneers

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Invisalign aligners - Invisible Braces

Invisalign® Aligner

Porcelain laminate veneers are a fantastic way to create an utterly dazzling smile. Since a small amount of tooth structure generally must be removed, it is not a reverisable procedure. If the teeth themselves look good, and the cosmetic concern is the alignment, then there are other alternatives available to get a great smile. Invisible braces (for example, Invisalign®) are now available for many types of alignment problems. This way, the teeth can be straightened in such a way that there will be no changes in the front of the tooth surface. Therefore, it is a reversible procedure. Many a beautiful smile has been created by simple straightening and bleaching.

The pros of the invisible braces approach are cost and reversibility. Fees tend to be about 60% less than porcelain laminates. The cons of invisible braces are retention and inability to mask stains. Once invisible braces have been completed, the teeth must be retained in their position by wearing a retainer each and every night. It’s not as daunting a task as it sounds, but it still requires one to put the retainer in every night. If the teeth are stained in such a way that they cannot be adequately improved by bleaching alone, then porcelain laminates are usually the better alternative.